Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a shock move to sign Rangers star James Tavernier this summer, should they avoid relegation.
The Lilywhites are keen to strengthen their squad for Roberto De Zerbi at the end of the season after appointing him on a long-term contract, but first they must find a way to escape relegation, as they currently sit one point above the drop zone with just three games remaining.
Full-back is an area they are keen to strengthen, with a number of first-team stars expected to move on after missing out on European football, and Tavernier has emerged as a surprise option to add leadership and experience to the side.
Tottenham Move for Tavernier Questioned
Reports emerged that Spurs are eyeing the veteran defender as an option after he announced that he would be leaving Rangers at the end of his contract.
But while speaking to Football Insider, transfer insider Mick Brown revealed that the 35-year-old is eyeing a 'big payday' for his next move, and that it would be a huge surprise if Tottenham, or any other Premier League clubs, seriously joined the race for him.
“James Tavernier has had a fantastic career,” Brown told Football Insider.
“He’s done a brilliant job for Rangers over a period of time, scoring and creating so many goals from right-back and always being a key part of that side. He’s very highly regarded in the game, but I would be very surprised if any Premier League club made a move for him, let alone a club like Tottenham.
“He’ll be 35 by the end of the year, and I can’t imagine many clubs are going to their sporting directors saying lets bring in this 35-year-old right-back. Being available on a free makes it more of an option than it may have been otherwise, but regardless, I don’t see any top club looking to bring him in at this stage.
“I think at his age and after deciding to leave Rangers, Tavernier is going to be looking for a big payday in Saudi Arabia or somewhere like that.”
Tottenham Avoid Disaster With Tavernier
On paper, Tavernier could be a shrewd bit of business on a free transfer when you look at his record from right-back and his experience.
But there is a reason that he has struggled at Ibrox in recent years, and his performance levels have dropped off a cliff, which has seen Danny Rohl start picking alternative options ahead of him, despite the team pushing for another title against Celtic and Hearts.
Defensively, Tavernier is a mess and he wouldn't fit in with De Zerbi's system at all, so it would have been a huge disaster had this deal gone through. Now, it seems like they've avoided that huge error, and they can focus on deals that actually make them better.